Al Pittman
Al Pittman (April 11, 1940 – August 26, 2001) was a Canadian poet and playwright from Newfoundland and Labrador. Life Pittman was born in St. Leonard's, Placentia Bay, Newfoundland, and grew up in Corner Brook. He moved to Montreal in 1964 where he began writing poetry and plays, and in 1966 published his debut collection of poems, The Elusive Resurrection. While in Montreal he was associated with Raymond Fraser and others in editing the literary magazine Intercourse: Contemporary Canadian Writing. From 1968 to 1970, Pittman was a student at St. Thomas University in Fredericton, New Brunswick, where he befriended fellow poet Alden Nowlan. In 1972Pittman moved to St. John's, Newfoundland, where he associated with many of the artists, writers, and musicians active in the city at the time, including Rufus Guinchard and Gerald Squires. In 1973 he co-founded Newfoundland's earliest publishing house, Breakwater Books, with Pat Byrne, Dick Buehler, Tom Dawe, and Clyde Rose. Pittman continued to write throughout his life, producing many other volumes of poetry, plays, books for children, short stories, songs, magazine articles, and essays, as well as writings for radio, television and film. He eventually returned to his childhood home of Corner Brook, where he co-founded the March Hare, an annual poetry and music festival. Up until his death he was a writer in residence at Sir Wilfred Grenfell College in Corner Brook, Newfoundland. Pittman died at the age of 61, after a lengthy illness. Writing Pittman's poetry and plays often address the sense of loss associated with the rural resettlement policies initiated by Joey Smallwood's provincial government in the 1960s. His best-known play West Moon is set in a resettled outport, where the ghosts of the dead lament the abandonment of their home. A strong sense of community and a writing style intended for reading aloud have helped to cement Pittman's reputation as one of Newfoundland and Labrador's most cherished contemporary writers. Recognition Pittman's work has been recognized with many awards, including a Borestone Mountain Poetry Award, the Canada Council Arts Award, the Stephen Leacock Centennial Award, and the Writer's Alliance Book Award for Poetry. Pittman was the inaugural recipient of the Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council’s Lydia Campbell Award for Creative Writing in 1985, and was inducted into the Arts Council's Hall of Honour in 1999. A bronze plaque containing 6 of Pittman's poems was unveiled in Corner Brook, Newfoundland, in 2012."Writer Al Pittman memorialized in Corner Brook, CBC, June 29, 2012. Web, Nov. 12, 2012. Publications Poetry * The Elusive Resurrection. Fredericton, NB: Brunswick Press, 1966. * Seaweed and Rosaries. Montreal: Poverty Press, 1968. * Through One More Window. Portugal Cove, NL: Breakwater Books, 1974. * Once When I Was Drowning: Poems. St. John's, NL: Breakwater Books, 1978. * Dancing in Limbo: Poems. St. John's, NL: Breakwater Books, 1993. * Thirty for Sixty. St. John's, NL: Breakwater Books, 1999. * An Island In The Sky: Selected poetry (edited by Martin Ware & Stephanie McKenzie). St. John's: Breakwater Books, 2003. ISBN 1-55081-199-1 *''Surviving the Storm''. Albuquerque, NM: Word, 2004. *''Collected Poems'' (edited by Michael Crumney). St. John's, NL: Breakwater Books, 2013. Plays * A Rope Against The Sun: A play for voices. Portugal Cove, NL: Breakwater Books, 1974. * West Moon: A play (first performed in 1980). St. John's, NL: Breakwater Books, 1995. Fiction * The Boughwolfen, and other stories. St. John's, NL: Breakwater Books, 1984. Juvenile * Down By Jim Long's Stage: Rhymes for children and young fish. Portugal Cove, NL: Breakwater Books, 1976. * One Wonderful Fine Day for a Sculpin Named Sam: A story for children. St. John's, NL: Breakwater Books, 1979, 2013. * On A Wing and A Wish: Salt Water Bird Rhymes. St. John's, NL: Breakwater Books, 1992. Edited *''31 Newfoundland Poets'' (edited with Adrian Fowler). St. John's, NL: Breakwater Books, 1979. Except where noted, bibliographical information courtesy WorldCat.Search results = au:Al Pittman, WorldCat, OCLC Online Computer Library Center Inc. Web, Jan. 16, 2015. See also *Newfoundland poets *List of Canadian poets *List of English-language playwrights References *Margie Williamson, Four Maritime Poets: A survey of the works of Alden Nowlan, Fred Cogswell, Raymond Fraser and Al Pittman, as they reflect the spirit and culture of the Maritime people. Thesis (M.A.), Dalhousie University, 1973 microform. Notes External links ;Audio / video *Al Pittman at YouTube ;Books *Al Pittman at Amazon.ca ;About * Al Pittman (1940-2001) at Newfoundland and Labrador Heritage. * Al Pittman and Tom Dawe: Island poems in Studies in Canadian Literature. ;Etc. * Patrick Lane's poem "For Al Pittman" Category:1940 births Category:2001 deaths Category:Canadian poets Category:Pre-Confederation Newfoundland and Labrador people Category:Writers from Newfoundland and Labrador Category:People from Corner Brook Category:Canadian dramatists and playwrights Category:20th-century poets Category:Poets